Zulu Chief on Visit to Israel

A leading Black South African, Zulu chief Gatshe Buthelezi, arrived here today to begin a 10-day visit while at the same time Premier Shimon Peres told the Cabinet of Israel’s continued abhorrence of South Africa’s apartheid policy of racial discrimination.

“The Israeli government unconditionally disassociates itself from South Africa’s apartheid government,” Peres told the weekly Cabinet session, according to a statement issued after the meeting. “The State of the Jewish people will not accept discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or any other grounds.”

Buthelezi, meanwhile, in a rare visit by a Black South African leader, said Israel need not sever diplomatic relations with South Africa, though he said Israel should begin an arms boycott of the white minority government in Pretoria. He said an arms embargo of the government there was the only international pressure he supported to obtain reforms.

He told reporters at a news conference at Ben Gurion Airport that Israel should use its diplomatic ties with South Africa to pressure the government to agree to share power with the Black majority. The leader of some six million Zulus said that there were some instances of anti-Jewish rioting by Blacks in South Africa though he said the Zulus maintained good relations with the Jewish community there.

Buthelezi is scheduled to meet with Peres, President Chaim Herzog, and Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir.